Corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails



Jan 28 1 IWW'IL a. JEJRCJMOE 2,230,038

CORNER TUREFJWIELE FOR ROLLING BARRELS ON RAILS mlea March 28, 1940 3 Shem l INVEMTOR ATT-QRNEY Jan. 28, 1941.. s, JEROMOS LE FOR ROLLING BARREL-S ON RAILS CORNER TURNTAB Filed March 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVETZHOR mffaromonar Patented Jan. 28, 1941 NKTED STATES PATENT Ftitliil CORNER TURNTABLE FOR ROLLING BARR-ELS ON RAILS 7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, and further proposes the construction of a device for use at breweries or other similar places for providing a convenient construction for conveying filled barrels from a storage room or the like to a loading platform.

Still further the invention concerns itself with the construction of a turntable adapted to be used in combination with rails upon which the barrels are adapted to roll to cause the barrels to be turned around corners, posts or other obstacles.

It is proposed to characterize the turntable by a pair of vertical wall members of different heights and arranged at right angles to each other and having their adjacent ends rigidly connected together in. a manner to support a heavy sheet mounted on the top edges thereof and upon which the barrel is adapted to roll.

Still further it is proposed to provide the heavy sheet with a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet and arranged in an are about the ends of the walls which are connected together for slightly lifting the outer end of the barrel to cause the same to be directed about the turn.

Still further it is proposed to provide the turntable with arcuate guard structures mounted along the inner and outer edges of this sheet to prevent the barrel from falling from the top face of the heavy sheet.

A still further object of the invention proposes a means for permitting the heavy sheet to be held in various elevated and inclined positions relative to the vertical wall portions to control the speed with which the barrel will negotiate the turn after reaching the turntable.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a left hand turntable constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view looking in the direction of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view looking in. the direction of the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a right hand turntable.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View on the line 'l'! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an elevational View looking in the direction of the line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view on the line Hl-lll of Fig. 6.

The corner turntable for rolling beer barrels on rails, according to this invention, includes a pair of vertical wall members i0 and H. These wall members are extended at right angles to each other and the wall it is at the entrance end of the turntable and the wall I l is at the discharge end of the turntable. The wall It) at the entrance end is slightly higher than the wall H at the discharge end. The adjacent ends of the walls It and H are securely attached together. The end of the wall I!) adjacent the wall H is provided with an inwardly extending flange m which is securely welded or in any other manner attached to the adjacent face of the Wall It]. The outer ends of the wall members Ill and II are connected together by means of an arcuate member l2 extended there'between. This arcuate strip 12 has its ends securely attached to the outer ends of the Walls Ill and H.

A heavy sheet of metal I3 is mounted upon the top edges of the Wall members and II. This heavy sheet I3 is arcuate in shape and has its ends securely attached to the top edges of the walls It and I I. The end of the sheet [3 adjacent the discharge end of the turntable, that is, above the wall member I I, has a section i3 of its inner area lower than the adjacent sections of its outer areas. The top edge of the wall H is cut to accommodate this lower area of the heavy sheet The heavy sheet I3 throughout its length is provided with a slopeextending from the top edge of the higher wall member II] to the top edge of the lower wall member H. A guide rail I4 extends along the outer area of the sheet l3. This guide rail I4 is also arcuate in shape and is provided for slightly til-ting the outer end of the barrel to cause the same to be turned as it moves from the entrance end of the discharge end of the turntable.

Foundation members are mounted on the front 55 faces of the vertical wall members l0 and l l for connection with pairs of rails. Each of these foundation members comprises an L-shaped angle member l5 which is adapted to have one of its arms securely attached to the adjacent face of its respective wall member. This connection is accomplished .by means of bolts it. The free arms of the L-shaped angle members l5 extend horizontally from the face of the Wall members It) and H. Vertically spaced lugs I l are integrally formed upon the angle members l5 between the arms thereof and are provided with openings l8. These openings are adapted to accommodate bolts for securely attaching the ends of tracks, not shown on. the drawings, to the entrance end and discharge end of the turntable. These rails are familiar to those skilled in the art and merely consist of strips of metal adapted to be attached to the lugs I! with their width extended to and in face contact with the lugs. These rails are provided for conveying the barrels to the entrance end of the turntable and for carrying the 'barrels away from the discharge end of the turntable after they have completed the turn.

The rails are adapted to be attached to one of the faces of the lugs l1 so as to cause the outer rails to be aligned with the ends of the guide rail I4 for causing the outer end of the barrel to be rested upon the guide rail when entering the turntable and for causing the barrel to be accurately placed upon the outer rail when it has negotiated the turn and drops off the end of the guide rail l4.

Arcuate guard structures are .provided along the inner and outer edge portions of the sheet l3 for holding the barrel in position upon the sheet and for causing the barrel to properly rest on the rails when passing from the discharge end of the turntable. The guard structure adjacent the inner end of the barrel comprises an upwardly extending bracket I!) having its bottom end securely attached to the front face of the wall member II. A pair of superimposed guard rails 20 extend from the upwardly extended bracket l9 at the entrance end of the turntable. These guard rails 28 have their outer ends attached together by means of a connecting link 2|. The topmost guard rail 20 extends only to the upwardly extending bracket IS. The lowermost guard rail 20 has its free end extended around the upwardly extending bracket I9 and projected beyond the face of the wall member and parallel to the rails extending to the discharge end of the turntable.

This end of the lowermost guard rail is supported by means of an upwardly inclined bracket 22. A bolt 23 securely attaches the top end of the bracket 22 to the free end of the guard rail 20. The bottom end of the bracket 22 is securely attached .to the face of the wall H by means of a bolt 24. The top end of the upwardly extending bracket I9 is directed inwards and supports a top guard member 24 which extends parallel to the inner end of the sheet l3 and which is arranged in an are about the bracket Hi. This guard member 24 has its free end 24 directed upwards for causing the barrel to move downwards and rest upon the heavy sheet l3.

The arcuate guard structure mounted along the outer edge of the sheet l3 comprises a plurality of upwardly extending brackets 25. The brackets 25 adjacent the outer ends of the wall members l0 and II are securely attached to the outer ends of their respective wall members by means of bolts 26. The upwardly extending bracket 25 which is located between the brackets attached to the wall members has its intermediate portion securely attached to the arcuate strip by means of bolts 27. A guard rail 28 extends from the entrance end of the turntable to the discharge end thereof and is adapted to engage the outer end of the barrel for assisting same to negotiate the turn. This guard rail 2!: is secured to the intermediate portions of the upwardly extending brackets 25 by means of bolts 29. The upper ends of the upwardly extending brackets 25 are directed inwards and support a top guard member 30. This guard member 36 is arranged at substantially the same height as the guard member 24 and is arranged in an are parallel thereto. This guard member 36 also has its end 36% adjacent the entrance end of the turn-table directed upwards for assisting the end 26 of the guard member 24 in causing the barrel to be engaged on the heavy sheet 13.

The construction shown in Fig. 1 is for causing a barrel to negotiate a left hand turn, and the construction shown in Fig. 5 is for causing a barrel to negotiate a right hand turn. These two turntables are identical in construction and differ from each other merely in providing a differently inclined surface for the heavy sheet I3 to direct the barrel in the direction for which it was constructed.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

At a brewery or other establishment where it is desired to convey barrels from a storage room to a loading platform and where it is necessary for the barrels to negotiate turns, a plurality of turntables of the right or left hand construction are positioned at the points about which the barrels are to be turned. In connecting the turntables with the rails upon which the barrels are lowered the ends of the rails are secured to the lugs ll of the foundation members for causing the barrels to be conveyed to the turntables. When the barrels are rolled on the rails they will enter the entrance end of the turntable which is slightly higher than the discharge end thereof, and will roll about the heavy sheet and discharge from the discharge end thereof and upon the rails attached thereto to continue their journey towards the loading platform.

According to the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 6-10 inclusive the construction of the turntable is similar to that previously described except for the provision of a means for holding the heavy sheet in various elevated and inclined positions relative to the wall members. In this form of the invention each of the wall members l0 and I l is formed of separate sec tions. The wall member l0 consists of a section ll which engages a section 10 which in turn engages a section lll Likewise the wall member It comprises a section ll which engages a section li in turn engaging a section H The sections it and l i are identical in construction, the sections H3 and ll are identical in construc tion, and the sections "1 and H are identical in construction.

A means is provided for holding the outer ends of the sections NJ and N in raised positions relative to the inner ends thereof to incline the outer edge of the heavy sheet I3 relative to the inner edge thereof. Each of these elevating means is identical in construction and comprises a hinge 35 arranged between the adjacent inner ends of the sections Id and H and the sections Ni and li These hinges 35 have their pivot pins arranged in a straight line relative to each other for permitting the outer end of the sec" tions it .and ii to be pivoted. Means is provided for holding theouter ends of the sections W and N in a raised position relative to the sections tu and li This means comprises a vertically extended strip 355 which has its top end pivotally attached to its respective section Ili or It by means of a pin 31. Each strip 3% is provided with an elongated slot Bil through which a pair of screws 39 freely extend. These scrws 39 are adapted to threadedly engage complementary openings 4% formed in the adjacent face of the sections W and li These screws 39 are provided for clamping the strips it against the face of the respective wall members ill and H for securely holding the outer end of the sections W and Ii raised.

A means is provided for holding the sections tu and II in an elevated position relative to the sections Ill and H. Each of these means is identical in construction and comprises a pair of vertically extended screws 4! for each of the wall members it] and Ii. The top end of the screws ii are rotatively extended through brackets it attached to the sections lil and il Collars 43 are securely attached to the screws ll on opposite sides of the brackets 42 for rotatively holding the top end of the screws 4| in position within the brackets 42. Intermediate portions of the screw 4| engage through brackets i l mounted upon the sections 11. The free ends of the screws il are provided with inwardly extending cutouts H into which a screw driver or a similar device is adapted to be engaged for turning the screws 4| and causing the sections Id and li to be elevated either simultaneously or individually relative to their respective sections Ill and ll. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous form.

It is to be understood that the guard rails 29 and 28 may be made of any desired material, size and shape and may also be provided with suitable wheels to contact the barrels, to insure smooth rolling of same.

While I have illustrated and described the preierrecl embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, comprising a pair of vertical wall members of different heights at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together at adjacent ends, an arcuate strip connecting together the outer ends of said wall members, a heavy sheet mountcd across said vertical wall members and having a section at its inner area lower than a section of its outer area, a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet, foundation members on said vertical wall members for con-- nection with a pair of rails, the outer of said rails being substantially aligned with said guide rail, and an arcuate guard structure mounted along the inner and outer edge portions of said sheet.

2. A corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, comprising a pair of vertical wall members of difierent heights at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together at adjacent ends, an arcuate strip connecting together the outer ends of said wall members, a heavy sheet mounted across said vertical wall members and havin a section of its inner area lower than a section of its outer area, a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet, foundation members on said vertical wall members for connection with a pair of rails, the outer of said rails being substantially aligned with said guide rail, and an arcuate guard. structure mount-ed along the inner and outer edge portions of said sheet, one of said wall members being formed with a fiange adapted to be securely attached to the adjacent faces of the other of said wall members for connecting together the adjacent ends thereof.

3. A corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, comprising a pair of vertical wall members of diiferent heights at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together at adjacent ends, an arcuate strip connecting together the outer ends of said wall members, a heavy sheet mounted across said vertical wall members and having a section at its inner area lower than a section of its outer area, a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet, foundation members on said vertical wall members for connection with a pair of rails, the outer of said rails being substantially aligned with said guide rail, and an arcuate guard structure mounted along the inner and outer edge portions of said sheet, each of said foundation members comprising an L-shaped angle member having one of its arms securely attached to the face of its adjacent wall member, said angle members having their free arms extended horizontally therefrom, and vertically extended lugs arranged between the arms of said angle members and to which said rails are adapted to be attached.

4. A corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, comprising a pair of vertical wall members of different heights at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together at adjacent ends, an arcuate strip connecting together the outer ends of said wall members, a heavy sheet mounted across said vertical wall members and having a section at its inner area lower than a section of its outer area, a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet, foundation members on said vertical wall members for con nection with a pair of rails, the outer of said rails being substantially aligned with said guide rail, and an arcuate guard structure mounted along the inner and outer edge portions of said sheet, said heavy sheet being arranged to cause said barrel to negotiate a left hand turn.

5. A corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, comprising a pair of vertical wall members of different heights at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together at adjacent ends, an arcuate strip connecting together the outer ends of said wall members, a heavy sheet mounted across said vertical wall members and having a section at its inner area lower than a section of its outer area, a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet, foundation members on said vertical wall members for connection with a pair of rails, the outer of said rails being substantially aligned with said guide rail, and an arcuate guard structure mounted along the inner and outer edge portions of said sheet, said guard structure comprising guard rails for engaging the ends of said barrels and guard members for engaging the tops of said barrels to properly hold the same in position upon said heavy sheet.

6. A corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, comprising a pair of vertical wall members of difierent heights at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together at adjacent ends, an arcuate strip connecting together the outer ends of said wall members, a heavy sheet mounted across said vertical wall members and having a section at its inner area lower than a section of its outer area, a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet, foundation members on said vertical wall members for connection with a pair of rails, the outer of said rails being substantially aligned with said guide rail, and an arcuate guard structure mounted along the inner and outer edge portions of said sheet, said vertical wall members each having top portions which are separate from the main portions thereof, said top portions supporting said sheet, and means for holding said top portions in various elevated and inclined positions.

'7. A corner turntable for rolling barrels on rails, comprising a pair of vertical wall members of different heights at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together at adjacent ends, an arcuate strip connecting together the outer ends of said wall members, a heavy sheet mounted across said vertical wall members and having a section at its inner area lower than a section of its outer area, a guide rail extending along the outer area of said sheet, foundation members on said vertical wall members for connection with a pair of rails, the outer of said rails being substantially aligned with said guide rail, and an arcuate guard structure mounted along the inner and outer edge portions of said sheet, said vertical Wall members each having top portions which are separate from the main portions thereof, said top portions supporting said sheet, and means for holding said top portions in various elevated and inclined positions, said means being arranged adjacent the ends of said heavy 20 sheet and individually adjustable or simultaneously adjustable as desired.

STEPHEN JEROMOS. 

